Exterior humidifying and warming ventilator for incubators



Feb. 18, 1930. R. v. LOBDELL 1,747,477

EXTERIOR. HUMIDIFYING AND WARMING VENTILATOR FOR INCUBATORS Film1 sept. 1,4.y 192e llll "i" lllfl 31a/vanto@ Ralph V'. LOQYQ ZZ,

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Patented Feb. 18, 1930 miur P A T E N T 0F RALPH V. LOBDELL, OF CASTLE HILL, `IOWA Application filed September 14, 1928. Serial No. 306,074.

My invention relates to combined aerifying, warming and humidifying means for incubators or the like, and the object of my improvements is to supply an exteriorl device therefor, which is adapted for interchangeable use with any incubator or the like which has no special means for the above purposes, and which besides being of simple and inexpensive construction, is very accessible at all times without opening the incubator for the purposes of inspection or repair, and suitable for location of the incubator in a desired installation Where pure air may be supplied to it conveniently.

l have accomplished the above purposes by the means which are hereinafter described and claimed, and which are illustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic drawing, which is a longitudinal medial vsection of the device as combined with an incubator, the main body without attempting to show all of the various forms in Which my invention might be embodied.

In said drawing, the numeral 1 denotes a portion of the top and end of an incubator,

` brooder or other device having on the top an upwardly projected hollow cylindrical sleeve 2 secured thereon to lit and receive the lower end part of an air conduit 3 also directed upwardly,and which at a distance above the incubat-or is bent horizontally beyond the incubator at 4 and has a short downwardly curved intake termination 5 open to the atmosphere, preferably on an outer side of a wall structure 6 apertured to receive the part 4, and communicating with the exterior atmosphere about a building in which the apparatus is located. It will be understood that the incubator structure interiorly may be of any wellj known or suitable type having interior air passages or chambers and air-vents for discharging foulair inthe circulation-fofairin the incubator. i f

I have provided means for propelling-.fresh air through. the said conduit and into the*l air passages of the incubator 1, consist-ingof `a rotatable fan-,wheel 19 whose Vshaft '18 is stepped in a step-bearingl mediallyfsecured on a supporting cross-bar 17 whichzis endsecured to the innerv wall ofthe conduit part `3. This fan may be rotated at a desired yrate of speed byV any convenient primel motor, but for illustration thereof only Irhaveshovvnon the upper end 'of the shaft 18 a bevel-gear 20 meshed with a vbevel-pinion `21 on a shaft 22 which traverses an apertured bearing secured to the conduit wall alinedwith an aperturein .the latter, andthe prime motor may thus vbe operatively connected withthe shaft 22'without the conduit for convenient inspection. The prime motor, of course, maybe an electric motor positioned within the conduit anddriving the shaft'1'8 by direct or indirect-connections thereto, The suction induced'bysaid fandraws fresh air through the conduit and supplies it to the incubator v1, as indicated by the arrows. F

In order to warm ythe air-traversing the conduit, I supply a steam-heating coil.1'1'

vwithin the horizontalpart 4 `ofthe conduit,

said coil being a loopwith T-couplingcon'- nection 12 to'the main `line steam-pipe rv8 which-has an adjustable valvular chamber 9 in communicationwith the supply pipe 7, by*- means of a T-coupling 10. vA. steam-pipe 13 leads from said,couplingvlthrough an aperf ture in the conduit part 3, and has an open end downwardly curved and trapped termination 14 which delivers steamfupwardly centrally withinthe conduit into the downward part said fan. The trap 14 serves to hold the small quantity of waterof condensation which may collect there.

The steam-pipe section 13 includes'an adjustable valvular device 15 for adjustment of of the fresh air moving downwardlyfrom 'i910 the amount of steam delivered to the conduit for properly humidifying the air passing f by it'siuse the interiorofthe latter may be adjustinglyv aerated, humidied and warmed v simultaneously, or independently as desired. VHaving Vdescribed my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to' secure by Letters Patent, is.:

1.The combinationwith av hollow strue-VV Vture to beventi1atedand having an intake port, of an open end conduit exterior thereto in communication with said intake port, a

pipe loop mounted within said Conduit and Vin Vcommunication with av supplyoiq heated fluid under. pressure without the oonduit means within the conduit for propelling` air ,there-,5 y through from its outer reeeivingrend to said intake port, "and means in communication with said conduit land also with said supply ,v y ofheated fluid and beyond said air propelling f meansA adapted to deliver Vwater vaporinto 2o therethrough. o n 2. The combination with ahollow structure the conduit :ind yinto the air being propelled to berventilated, said struoturehaving an intake port, of an lopen'end conduit exterior thereto in Communication with said intake port, .means y:for propelling air" through the y conduit tosaid intakeport,andaVv va'lved-Y ueontrolled 'steam-pipe leading into said con-V I duit between saidY air-propelling means and 4the intake port having anopen and'tranped termination withinthe` yconduit to deliver "steam into the opposing air current to humidi- Y fyV it before entering thentake port.

3. The Combination with a' hollow structure to be ventilated, said structure having an intake port, of an open end conduit eX- i terior thereto in communication with said intake port, a looped steam-pipe traversing a .part ofsaid conduit and 'having anadjust- Y able rreguplating valve without the conduit, Van

v airan-wheel in .said conduit rotatable to Create 'afreshair'eurrent therethrough from the outer open end ofthe Conduit to saidinf V,take`port, andfa valve controlled'pipe lead- Y ingf'irom said steam pipe into communication -S with said conduit between said'fan-wheel and saidintake -port tohumidify Aadjustingly the i f l VVVairfpas'sing into the intake port.

f l In testimony whereof I' aflix my signature. 

